


Circumstance

by Mansaeboysbe



Category: K-pop, SF9 (Band)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-24 09:16:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16172138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mansaeboysbe/pseuds/Mansaeboysbe
Summary: Are you lost or something?”“You could say that.”





	Circumstance

**Author's Note:**

> -Admin Mari

The wind whispered through the dark trees like a warning in a foreign language. Something unheard by her ears before. Or at least it was unfamiliar.

It was a quiet summer evening and although the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, (Y/n) had no intention of leaving. The temperature was dropping slowly and (Y/n) wished that she had taken a jacket with her. She wasn’t deterred, however, and kept going with her walk.

She was a long way from home.

She had a habit of wandering whenever her life felt suffocating. It was just a mechanism to relieve stress and although she knew it could be dangerous, she loved walking at night.

Her adventure had started at about seven when she had returned home from work and ultimately decided that going out would be better than being confined to her home. So she took her essentials and simply left.

At first, she had walked around the block and then it was the half a mile to the library and next thing she knew she had walked for forty-five minutes and was clear on the other side of the city. She knew that she would need to start heading back soon, but there was another part of her brain that told her walking for a while more wouldn’t kill her.

She decided that one more lap around the park would suffice since she could still take the bus if it got too dark. Most of the walk consisted of her convincing herself that she absolutely had to leave and she had reached the exit before she knew it. Stress began to consume her once more and she felt a couple tears slip down her cheeks.

The street lamps flickered on and she was walking out when someone ran into her.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry,” a guy said, genuinely apologetic. He had been rushing and although he had managed to hold onto (Y/n) and keep her from falling, the force he had hit her with managed to knock the wind out of her.

She made a hand motion to let him know it was alright and when she regained her breath she asked if he was okay too. He nodded and apologized again.

It was only then that she looked up. She was met with a boy not much older than her with tufts of black hair. He was lanky and fairly tall. His eyes were dark but they held an indiscernible amount of emotions. He noticed her upset state immediately.

“Are you ok? You’re crying…” he said after a pause.

“I’m fine. It’s not because of you, really.”

He bit his lip and diverted his gaze from her.

“Are you lost or something?”

“You could say that,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He had previously been looking over his shoulder to where he had been running to, but for the moment he had paused and was instead looking at her.

“Well, do you need help getting somewhere?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but when no words came out, he shut it again.

“I can help,” she urged. He shook his head.

“I can figure it out. Thank you, though.”

She shrugged and began to walk down the sidewalk where he had come from. He was kind of cute, she thought. If the worry and apologeticness had been wiped from his face, she might have thought he was handsome, even.

Approaching the bus station, she cleared those thoughts from her mind. (Y/n) pulled the loose bus pass from her pocket and waited for her ride to arrive.

It was quiet on the bus aside from the incessant rattling of the windows and the occasional coughing from a man across from her. The lights inside cast a glare on the windows and (Y/n) was forced to look at herself rather than the buildings passing by. She took the time to reflect on the events that had made her take this excursion.

She so badly wanted to quit her job but since she was essentially a broke college student, she literally couldn’t afford to do so. Going over possible solutions in her head, (Y/n) stood in front of the door waiting for the vehicle to come to a stop. The doors slid open and she walked out, pausing as the bus left, feeling the rush of air as it went.

She sighed and continued on, going the block and a half to her home. She dug the keys out of her pocket and opened her front door, closing it gently behind her. It had been a long day and all she really felt like doing was sleeping. (Y/n) moved into the living room after taking off her shoes. Slipping her jacket off, she began taking her possessions and putting them on the coffee table.

“What?” She searched her pockets. “No, no, no, no, no.”

Phone, check. Bus pass, check. Keys, check. Wallet…

“Where on earth did it go!?” (Y/n) took a deep breath. Maybe, maybe it fell out in the entryway. She walked back but realized upon inspection that it was not there. A string of curses flowed from her mouth. She ran her hands through her hair and paced around, trying to think of anywhere it could possibly be.

In her distracted state, she managed to trip over the table and fall right onto the floor.

That was all it took to make her cry again. First, she’d had a hard day and now she would have to call the police as well as cancel her credit cards and figure out what to do about her driver’s license…

(Y/n) dried her eyes and pushed herself up from the floor. She crawled into bed and fell asleep while trying to quell her sobs. She would take care of everything in the morning.

The morning was not much better. She still had to get up and go to work at a job she hated and her head was pounding from her emotions from the day before. She grabbed all the possessions she’d need, what was left anyway, and opened up her front door.

She almost stepped on the coffee cup and a small lavender wallet. Luckily she saw them and almost cried again from relief. She looked through the wallet and everything was still there, credit cards, cash, coupons, everything. The coffee cup was still warm and as she held it up to see what it was, she noticed a little note attached.

“I found this yesterday when I circled back. I figured you’d want it. :)”

It was signed “~the boy who almost ran you over.”

Her heart raced a little at the thought and, although she didn’t drink the coffee, she didn’t know this guy, after all, she was grateful to him at his thoughtfulness.

But that was how she started talking to the sweet, black-haired boy named Taeyang.

She learned very early on that he had not had any intention of harming her with the coffee and had instead thought she had needed a little pick me up considering the state she had been in the night before. This was all explained in a little bakery around the corner. He had invited her out to breakfast with another note stuck on her door when she had returned from work.

It was on a whim that she had gone. She was appreciative but she hadn’t thought this was very appropriate. However, they were meeting in public and he had seemed genuine before. Plus he was offering to buy breakfast and she couldn’t say no to free food.

“So why had you been running?”

“Why were you all the way across town?” He quipped in return.

“I asked first!” She laughed.

“Well, you see, there was a very pretty girl that I just had to talk to.”

“So you ran into me…”

“We’re still talking aren’t we?” he said, a shy smile playing at his lips.

He leaned back in his seat, watching as she became flustered. It made his own cheeks heat up.

“Ok, now answer my question.”

“I walk when I’m stressed.”

“Walk or run away?” he asked curiously.

She shrugged her shoulders and averted her gaze.

After that Taeyang quickly changed the topic. He questioned her on various things about her daily life and when the breakfast rush had calmed a little, he told her he had to go. He took a napkin from the dispenser by the window and wrote his number on it before sliding it over to her, getting up, sending her one last smile and walking out of the building.

She watched him go and reached tentatively for the napkin he had left as if it would disappear if she touched it. The paper had torn slightly in his rush but the number was clear despite his haste. She folded it carefully and put it in her pocket before exiting the bakery too.

At home, she took the paper out and set it on the counter. For a moment, she simply stared at it. This was her last chance to break off all contact with him without really any consequences. If she texted him, who knew where it would lead. If she didn’t and just threw the napkin away, she could go back to her regular life, which meant a whole lot of stress and no people to talk to.

Sighing, she took the phone out of her bag and unlocked it. I really hope I don’t regret this, she thought.

From the moment she started texting him she knew he would never harm her. Taeyang was essentially a puppy who was probably a little too trusting and a little too mischievous for his own good.

He was there for (Y/n) when she felt down and on days that she needed to walk, he insisted on going with her. It eventually became routine. She’d call him, voice strained and cracking, and he’d answer in a quiet tone, trying to soothe her worries with the promise of going in any direction she wanted to.

Sometimes they would talk and other times they would walk side by side with headphones in. He always stayed close to her and, after he pulled her back when a crazy cyclist almost ran her over, he never let go of her hand.

“What do you do for a living?” he asked her one time on one of the walks.

She told him of her job as an assistant and the horrors that had accompanied it and then asked the same of him.

“I do odd jobs,” he said, “roam around, get money where I can.”

That was all the response he gave and soon he had whisked her off into a nearby restaurant for food.

And this was how their relationship was.

He teased her but never forgot to send her good night texts or kiss her goodbye. As soon as he met up with her, his face always lit up with a dazzling smile. When they were apart, he would check up on her with texts.

They were comfortable together. (Y/n) had never actually felt so secure with someone else.

It might have been because of the pillow talks they held almost every night. Although more often than not, they occurred in the kitchen rather than the bedroom. Taeyang usually sat leaning up against the oven or the counters while (Y/n) sat across from him up on the counters, dangling her feet over the edge.

Late night talks were generally initiated after one followed the other into the kitchen for midnight snacks. Then talk of popcorn would lead to ranting about stupid people or discussions over the supernatural.

There were few arguments, though. It was rare when they fought and, when they did, it happened during the day. That way the sunshine could melt away the harsh feelings and they could resolve their issues before bed. Although Taeyang always claimed it didn’t matter what time it was since he was so sunny himself. On a good day, that would make her laugh. In the middle of a spat, it would make her leave the room.

However, in the end, Taeyang would just go find her and wrap his arms around her, never bringing up the topic of earlier, and simply apologizing for arguing. Although not for his opinions, which she usually understood. Except for the one time, he insulted her favorite book.

Taeyang knew, though, that whatever cuddles couldn’t fix, tickling always did. This meant the occasional rolling on the floor in tears from laughter, trying to avoid his touch, failing, and the both of them smiling brightly in the end. Everything is forgiven or forgotten.

Despite the occasional clash, (Y/n) knew those were the good days.

Because there were also days when he simply asked if he could come over, only to snuggle up to (Y/n) and sleep. Whenever Taeyang did that she would smooth down his hair and think about everything that happened. Those days were when he needed the pick me up. She reciprocated the same care he’d given just in a different manner.

When he would wake, he wouldn’t remove his head from the crook of her neck and instead simply murmur to her about what was bothering him, if it was still bothering him. At times all he needed was reassurance that she was there.

Throughout the months she had known him, he had never cried. Even on his worst days, it seemed he would just bottle everything up so that she wouldn’t have to see the emotions roiling inside him. She would still try to ease whatever was bothering him though. The days after would be better and Taeyang would be right back to his sunshiny personality as if nothing ever happened. He would walk with her, talk with her and drag her different places to eat with a smile.

On any given day it was easy to lose track of time when they were together. Weeks would pass before either could notice and soon it was hard for her to recall a time without Taeyang at her side.

She could never recall when they had exactly started dating, neither officially asked the other out. He had just somehow inched his way into her life and remained there without an indication of ever leaving.

On special days he would take her out for a drive rather than a walk.

She hadn’t even known he had a license, much less a vehicle until he pulled up one day in a small beat up car. She wasn’t sure it had ever had better days and every time she got in she threatened to leave him if it ever broke down in the middle of nowhere and left them stranded. He always chuckled at that and simply laced his hand with hers as she pulled her seatbelt on.

Their rule was they could drive until they needed gas and then they had to head home. This resulted in varying lengths of trips and they one time went three towns over before heading back.

Each trip was always different and each held their own special memories as they traveled around, exploring the back roads of their city and beyond. Because of the late hours, they almost always had the roads to themselves, so it was nice to be able to roll the windows down and not have to listen to the sound of other cars fly by. They could simply enjoy the silence of the night together.

It was weird how effective he was in calming her. She had never thought anything would work better than wandering, but Taeyang proved her wrong time and time again. Something about being with him and looking out on the open road made her breathing return to normal and all her worries dissipate. (Y/n) would alternate her gaze between the outline of the trees and the Taeyang’s side profile.

At night was when he looked best, she thought. When his hair was a little disheveled from a long day and he was relaxed back into the seat. If she hadn’t known better she would have thought he was going to fall asleep at the wheel. His eyes always betrayed his thoughts, though, and he was more awake than before they had got into the car.

If he ever caught her staring he would send her a smirk and tell her to take a picture because “it will last longer.” She would blush and grumble about how it was his fault for being good looking and he would laugh wholeheartedly and grab her hand in his, bringing it up so he could place a kiss on her knuckles.

When they pulled back into her street he asked if she felt better. She had never felt a need to say no.

(Y/n) would always ask if Taeyang wanted to stay the night when he walked her up. On some nights he would shrug before smiling and follow her inside and other times he would say “another time” and kiss her goodbye once they reached the front door.

Then it would be a couple weeks before they went driving again.

One night when their tank was half full and the summer night was completely clear, he pulled into the parking lot of a department store, turned the ignition off and leaned back in his seat. He didn’t bother unbuckling his seatbelt and silence laid heavy on the two.

“I have to tell you something,” Taeyang spoke first.

(Y/n) clenched her fists, preparing herself for whatever he had to say. She feared the worst. Already tears were stinging her eyes and she could feel bile rising in her throat at the thought of goodbye.

“I’ve just had something on my mind for a while, that’s all. I thought it was okay, that everything had been resolved, but the longer we’re together, the more it eats away at me.”

She didn’t say anything and simply waited for him to continue.

“I- God, I’m a horrible person,” he choked out leaning forward and resting his forehead on his hand which had the steering wheel in a death grip.

“No, you’re not,” (Y/n) managed, realizing this was not what she was expecting. She reached a hand out to place on his shoulder and he flinched away.

“I’m sorry,” he said, sitting back and rubbing at his eyes.

“Don’t apologize. What even has you this upset?”

“I messed up our first meeting.”

She let out a breathy laugh at that, “Running into me? That’s nothing to-”

“I stole your wallet.”

“What?” she asked, taken aback.

“You really thought I just found it on the ground?” He looked over at her finally.

“Tae-”

“I ran into you to give me leverage. I needed the money and-”

“Taeya-”

“But then you were crying and I couldn-”

“TAEYANG.”

He shut his mouth at her outburst. His gaze was focused on the radio, but she could tell he was listening by the way his grip on the wheel tightened.

“Baby,” she cupped his face in her hands, turning his head toward her, “stop. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not-”

“Are you here with me?” He nodded after a moment. “You returned my wallet, right?” Again he nodded. “And you haven’t stolen from me or anyone else since?” He shook his head, averting his gaze.

(Y/n) leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. She ran her thumbs over his cheeks to erase the streaks his tears had left.

“Okay.”

He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing before he pulled back.

“I’m sorry,” he said again.

She pressed a kiss to his lips, “I said it was okay.”

He started the car up and she didn’t protest when they headed back to her home. The car was quiet alongside the city and as they pulled up to a stop light (Y/n) looked over at Taeyang.

“How long has that been bothering you?”

“Since we had breakfast the next morning.”

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“I didn’t want you to leave…”

“I’m not going anywhere.”


End file.
